Welterweight: 2014, Mar 10-16

Rustam Nugaev won a stoppage victory at a 143 pound contract weight over should-be lightweight titlist Marvin Quintero, when Quintero injured his hand and could not continue past the 4th round. It was a dead even fight to that point, as I saw it. Nugaev narrowly edged round 1 and clearly won round 4, while Quintero clearly won 2 and 3. You can’t necessarily tell a lot from a victory like this, given the circumstances, and especially with the catchweight. Nugaev is not a real threat to be ranked in this tough division, at least not at this point. No changes.

Dan’s Top 20 (Weeks in Current Position-Weeks in Top 10 if applicable-Weeks in Top 20)Champ: Floyd Mayweather, Jr. (202-234-234)Last Fight: 9/14/2013- W* (MD12) vs. #2 JMW Saul Alvarez (at JMW)Next Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. #4 Marcos MaidanaThankfully, it will be the worthy Maidana rather than the likely washed-up Khan that fights Floyd on May 3.1) Timothy Bradley (22-22-92)Last Fight: 10/12/2013- W (SD12) vs. #1 Juan Manuel MarquezNext Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #3 Manny PacquiaoBradley-Pacquiao II is on, and it’s made all the more intriguing by Bradley’s win over Pac’s nemesis.2) Juan Manuel Marquez (22-122-122)Last Fight: 10/12/2013- L (SD12) vs. #17 Timothy BradleyNext Fight: UnknownIt appears Marquez is close to a deal to fight Alvarado on May 17. He also wants the Pac-Bradley winner.3) Manny Pacquiao (22-275-275)Last Fight: 11/23/2013- UD12 #5? JWW Brandon RiosNext Fight: 4/12/2014- vs. #1 Timothy BradleySee Bradley’s notes, above. 4) Marcos Maidana (14-40-40)Last Fight: 12/14/2013- UD12 LW Champ Adrien BronerNext Fight: 5/3/2014- vs. Champion Floyd Mayweather, Jr.Maidana will get a shot at the true title on May 3.5) Keith Thurman (13-13-53)Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO9 #6 Jesus Soto-KarassNext Fight: 4/26/2014- vs. Unknown OpponentThurman is tentatively scheduled to fight on April 26 in Carson, CA as part of a doubleheader with Lucas Matthysse, with an eventual meeting between the two being considered if they both win.6) Shawn Porter (13-14-14)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #5 Devon AlexanderNext Fight: UnknownFor the longest time, it looked like Porter would be fighting his mandatory, Kell Brook, but a Thurman or Marquez fight has also been discussed, while Malignaggi has also indicated interest, and that fight currently appears to be in the works for April 19.7) Robert Guerrero (14-68-85)Last Fight: 5/4/2013- L (UD12) vs. Champ Floyd Mayweather, Jr.Next Fight: UnknownGuerrero is in the mix to fight Khan on May 3.8) Kell Brook (14-150-150)Last Fight:10/26/2013- TKO4 Vyacheslav Senchenko (UNR)Next Fight: 3/15/2014- vs. Alvaro Robles (UNR) (at JMW)Brook’s opponent for this weekend will be gatekeeper Alvaro Robles- not a bad guy to find on 10 days’ notice.9) Devon Alexander (14-107-107)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- L (UD12) vs. Shawn Porter (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownAlexander’s trainer has named Berto and Judah as guys that would make sense for the St. Louisan’s next fight.10) Randall Bailey (16-16-16)Last Fight: 11/23/2013- W (DQ8) vs. Humberto Toledo (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownBailey said recently in an interview that he’d like to fight Thurman.11) Josesito Lopez (16-90)Last Fight: 12/13/2013- W (TD8) vs. Mike Arnaoutis (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownLopez appears set to return in mid-to-late March, according to a Boxingscene report.12) Jesus Soto Karass (13-59)Last Fight: 12/14/2013- L (TKO9) vs. #13 Keith ThurmanNext Fight: UnknownHis results are now decidedly mixed, but I suspect Soto Karass will continue to get decent TV fights, since his fights are almost always entertaining, and always a test for his opponent.13) Andre Berto (13-68)Last Fight: 7/27/2013- L (TKO12) vs. #11 Jesus Soto KarassNext Fight: Unknown Berto is now recovered from surgery and is training for a summer return. Alexander wants him.14) Paulie Malignaggi (14-14)Last Fight: 12/7/2013- UD12 #8? JWW Zab Judah Next Fight: Unknown Malignaggi says he wants Porter, and that fight is reportedly in the works for April 19.15) Chris van Heerden (14-91)Last Fight: 2/6/2014- RTD4 Cosme Rivera (UNR)Next Fight:UnknownVan Heerden finally got a fight in, albeit a stay-busy one.16) Luis Carlos Abregu (14-46)Last Fight: 4/27/2013- UD10 Antonin Decarie (UNR)Next Fight: 4/4/2014- vs. Jean Carlos Prada (UNR)Abregu is set to return on April 4 in his hometown of Salta, Argentina against unbeaten but totally untested Venezuelan Jean Carlos Prada.17) Luis Collazo (6-6)Last Fight: 1/30/2014- KO2 Victor Ortiz (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownCollazo wants Khan, and there’s some buzz building behind that fight.18) Jan Zaveck (6-222)Last Fight: 10/19/2013- UD8 Sebastien Allais (UNR)Next Fight: Unknown19) Ruslan Provodnikov (6-52)Last Fight: 10/19/2013- RTD10 #3 JWW Mike Alvarado (at JWW)Next Fight: UnknownProvodnikov is looking to defend his title at 140 on June 14, possibly against Antonio Demarco. If he sets that fight (or any other at 140), he’ll be removed here, as he hasn’t fought at 147 since his March 16 fight with Tim Bradley. In any case, he’ll be removed on March 17 unless he scheduled a welterweight fight. 20) Leonard Bundu (2-2)Last Fight: 12/14/2013- TKO12 Lee Purdy (UNR)Next Fight: UnknownBundu’s fight with Gianluca Branco, scheduled for April 12, is now off due to a training injury to Branco. Bundu’s camp is now targeting May as his next appearance, but it’s not known if Branco will still be the opponent or not.

The Week Ahead:SaturdayKermit Cintron vs. Ronald Cruz; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Off TVCintron still qualifies as a gatekeeper despite almost certainly losing to unproven Adrian Granados while being gifted a draw. Cruz was an undefeated prospect before back-to-back losses to Ray Narh and Antwone Smith. Still, with Cintron’s precipitous decline in the last few years, I’m not sure I’d want to bet either way on this one.

Kell Brook is in action in Liverpool as well against Alvaro Robles, but that’s expected to be a junior middleweight fight. I might discuss it here as it effects the rankings, but will treat it primarily at 154.